


Heaven's Wrath

by thosefuckingangels



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dark, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-10-08
Updated: 2012-10-14
Packaged: 2017-11-15 22:20:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/532391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thosefuckingangels/pseuds/thosefuckingangels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>FBI agent Victor Henriksen is startled by the spontaneous declaration of Sam Winchester about how his father's delusions to have a divine mission that required him and his brother Dean to become his 'demon-slaying' murder accomplices. Was it really all in John's head, or did it have some truth to it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It's a quiet night at the FBI headquarters, most of the agents already went home. The only few people who are still in the building are the operator behind her desk who's talking to her friend on the phone, a couple of agents waiting to finish their day, security guards, and a man sitting in the lobby and flipping through a paperback book.

Agent Reidy comes into the lobby and motioned to the man. He gets up and walks toward Reidy, stopping at the operator's desk and she looks up at him. He puts the paperback on her desk and slides it toward her. 

"I found it on the seat over there. Someone must have left it behind." The man says, looking at the operator. She nods with a smile, and picks up the book. As he walks off, she looks at the back of it and goes back to her phone call. He walks over to Agent Reidy, and they shake hands. The agent leads the man to Agent Henriksen's office, stopping at the doorway.

"You can wait in here. You need anything? Water? Coffee?" Reidy asks the man.

"No I'm fine. Thanks."

"It shouldn't be long." The agent says before he leaves, shutting the door behind him. The man looks around the small office, noticing all the details: the walls are covered with framed citations, official plaques, and several framed newspaper articles on the capture of various serial killers. There are several gory police photographs from case files taped on the side of a filing cabinet. The man wanders over to the desk which is littered with papers, pens, a few more case file photos, and one framed photograph of a man and a woman.

Meanwhile outside, a car pulls into the parking lot, and Agent Victor Henriksen gets out. He walks into the reception area, where the operator is reading the paperback.

"What's that old Chevrolet doing out there?" He asks and the operator glances up from her book and shrugs, then goes back to reading. He frowns at her, and walks into the main office, then strides down the hall. All the offices are dark except for one. Henriksen looks at the lit office window and sees the back of a man's head sitting inside. Agent Reidy approaches Henriksen with a cup of coffee in his hand and smiles.

"Hey Brian, how are you tonight?" Henriksen asks.

"Can't complain. Is it raining out yet?"

"Not yet. A big storm's coming though. I can smell it in the air." Henriksen replies, and nods toward the office. "That him?"

"Yep. Been here about an hour. Said he'd only talk to you."

Henriksen glances at the man sitting in the office and frowns. "He asked for me by name?" 

"Nope. Asked for the agent in charge of the Heaven's Wrath case. Said he had some important info on it." 

"With six murders and no substantial clues, anything's worth a shit at this point."

"Well if anyone can crack this case, it's you sir." Reidy replies and Henriksen gives him a smile before he walks off toward the office and goes inside. 

The man looks up at him from his chair by the door, but doesn't get up. "You the agent in charge of the Heaven's Wrath case?" he asks.

Henriksen nods, "Agent Victor Henriksen."

He extends his hand to the man, but he looks down at the framed picture in his hands, ignoring Henriksen's gesture.

"Is this you and your wife?"

Henriksen looks at the picture the man is holding, and snatches it out of his hands. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't take things off my desk."

The agent crosses the little office and puts the picture back on his desk, facing him.

"Sorry about that. I've been in here for awhile. I've already read all your plaques and citations." He points at the case file photos, "And I didn't care to look at those."

"So what can I do for you, Mr..."

"Sam Winchester. I have some information for you. This may sound crazy, but... I know who the Heaven's Wrath killer is."

Henriksen stares at him flatly, but he doesn't continue and they stare at each other for a moment.

"Alright, I'll bite. Who?"

"You haven't even heard me out yet, and already you doubt me. Why?" Sam replies.

"Because in a case like this no one just walks into your office and tells you who the killer is. It doesn't work that way." 

Sam nods with a smile before looking down at the floor, crossing his arms over his chest.

"So, who is it?" Henriksen asks, staring at Sam.

"My brother."

The agent waits for him to continue, but he doesn't. "How do you know that?"

"I got a call from him last night. He said he can't take it anymore, he can't destroy them all. That they're everywhere. I asked him to talk to me about it, but he shut me down, said there's nothing to talk about. I told him I was on my way over, but the line went dead. He was dead by the time I got there."

Henriksen breaks the eye contact for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck then looks back at Sam carefully who just sits, staring blankly back at the agent.

"What happened next?" Henriksen asks.

"I took Dean's car, then drove to Bobby for help. Hell of a guy. He's probably back in Lawrence now." Sam replies, smiling at the mention on Bobby.

"Lawrence?"

"Where all this took place. Lawrence, Kansas, where Dean and I were born."

"Why did you go to Bobby?"

"For help. To bury Dean in the Stull Cemetery." Sam replies.

"And why would you do that?" 

"I promised him I would a long time ago."

Henriksen sighs and shakes his head. "And where is your brother's body now?" he asks.

"Buried in the Stull Cemetery."

"And you did all this because of some promise you made?"

"Yep." Sam nods.

"That's a pretty wild story, Mr. Winchester."

"It's the truth."

Henriksen looks at him and frowns. "You see, I have a problem with this little take of yours. I can't see what, if anything, it has to do with my case."

"Dean was the Heaven's Wrath killer. He's the one you're looking for."

"He tell you that before he asked you to take him to Bobby? If so, you left that part out."

"I haven't finished." Sam smiles.

"Oh there's more?"

"A lot more."

Henriksen stares at him for a long moment, and then suddenly stands and smiles coldly at him. "Excuse me for a moment."

He crosses the office and exists, shutting his office door behind him and looks back through the window at Sam. He walks down to Reidy's cubicle where he's working on his computer. The place is even emptier and darker than before.

"Hey Brian, do me a favor and watch my office for awhile."

Reidy nods and Henriksen takes off down the hall and walks out to the old Chevrolet, puts on latex gloves, and tries the door. It's unlocked - he opens it and looks inside but there's nothing. He opens the glove compartment and sees the gun. He takes it out, and checks to see if it's loaded; it is. He sniffs the barrel, puts it back in the glove and shuts the door.

A few moments later he searches his computer for a phone number, then dials it.

The phone in Lawrence rings, where a pregnant blonde woman sits at the front desk, reading a magazine. She ignores it at first and keeps reading, but picks it up on the third ring.

"Lawrence Police Department."

"Yes, may I speak to the chief of police there please? This is Agent Victor Henriksen of the FBI."

"He's not here right now, may I help you?" the woman asks.

"Well, I've got a man in here in my office by the name Sam Winchester that..."

"Sam Winchester? What's he doing there?"

"You know him?"

"Yeah, he stole his brother's car along with his body."

"You already know about it?" Henriksen asks, confused.

"Well, yeah. Do you?"

"He just confessed it to me."

"Just tell him to bring the car back and get back in one piece, alright?"

"What?! You're not going to charge him?"

"As long as he brings it back the sheriff said there will be no charges. Tell him that, will you?" the woman replies.

"But he stole a corpse!"

"Yeah, but it was his brother, Agent Henriksen. We've all done some crazy things when family's involved. But he'll need to bring him back too. Make sure you tell him that, okay?"

"I can't believe this crap." He mutters under his breath, "Yeah sure, I'll tell him." he says and hangs up the phone incredulously, then walks back to his office where Sam is still sitting in his chair.

"Did my story check out?" Sam asks.

Henriksen frowns at him, but nods. 

"So am I under arrest now?"

The agent crosses to his desk and sits down. "You should be, but apparently the sheriff there is willing to forgive and forget as long as you bring the body and the car back. No one wants to press charges.

Sam smiles. "You've gotta love small towns."

"You know I get the distinct impression that you're playing some kind of game here with me."

"Why is that?"

"Why would you go through all that trouble and then just walk in here and confess it to me?"

"I did it because I promised Dean I would. I'm here because I can't live with what I know anymore." Sam replies.

"And what exactly do you know? Why do you think your brother was the Heaven's Wrath killer?"

"I know it was him."

"How?"

Sam sighs, leaning back to the chair and looks up at the ceiling. "It started back in Lawrence, near the summer of 1996..."

***

The date is May 16, 1996. It is a beautiful, sunny day. The townspeople go slowly about their business, nodding or waving at one another as they pass. A yellow school bus goes down the street and pulls over and children burst out of the bus door. Two teenagers, Sam and his girlfriend, Jessica Moore break away from the rest of the kids and walk towards Dean who's standing next to a '67 Chevy Impala.

"Had fun?" Dean asks the pair as he opens the car door for Jess, giving her a nod with a smile as she gets into the car. 

"Yeah, it was okay." Sam says, getting into the passenger seat and shuts the door, frowning slightly when Dean puts on the car radio that's blasting classic rock.

Dean starts up the car and they drive down the road, dropping Jessica at her house before they head home.

Later on, Sam is sitting on the couch and reading a book while Dean is in the kitchen, preparing dinner.

_Dean was four years older than me. Our mom died in a fire back when I was only six months old so he basically took care of me ever since I can remember. Our dad worked as a mechanic over in Guenther's Auto Repair. He usually got home around five thirty and we'd all have dinner together._

John comes into the kitchen and puts his lunchbox down on the table and smiles at Dean. "Hey kiddo. Something sure smells good." 

A few moments later Sam, Dean and John all sit around the kitchen table, just about ready to eat and Sam piles peas on his plate.

"Whoa there tiger." John chuckles, "Save some for us."

"What? You know I love peas." Sam jokes.

"So how'd you do on that math test?" John asks as he turns to Dean.

"I barely passed." he replies, looking down.

"I never was any good at math either. Shoot, I still can't do anything without a calculator." 

"But I've got another test next week, and it's gonna be even harder." 

"Oh don't sound so gloomy about it." John says, patting Dean's shoulder gently. "We'll sit down this weekend and see if we can figure that junk out together, all right?"

Dean smiles at him and nods.

_That was our family. Just the three of us. All of Mom and Dad's relatives had died off. There was no one but us left. We didn't mind though. We didn't need anyone else. We were happy together. Until..._

It's late at night, both the kids are asleep but Sam's eyes snap open as the lights switch on. John is standing between their beds and trying to shake Dean awake. "Come on, wake up."

Dean lifts up, confused and tired. "Dad?"

"Get up boys. I've got something to tell you." John says as he sits down on Dean's bed. "Come over here, Sam." 

Sam does as he's told and gets on the bed with them.

"I want you to wake up and listen to me. Are you awake?" John asks.

They're both sleepy, but they nod.

"I love you both. You know that, don't you?" John is glancing between the two of them and he can see they're both confused, but they nod again.

"I need you both to listen to me very carefully."

_He said he'd had a vision that night. A vision from God. An angel came to him and told him the truth of this world, and revealed God's special purpose for our family..._

Sam and Dean sit on the bed staring at their father with a mixture of disbelief and awe. 

"We are near the end of the world here boys. I know it's crazy, but the angel showed me. There are demons among us. They're working to release the devil for the final battle. It's being fought now, but no one knows it, except us and others like us." 

"Dad, you're scaring me." Dean says, looking at John and his father puts an arm around him and pulls him close.

"There's nothing to be afraid of, Dean. God has chosen us. He's given us jobs to do. We don't fear demons; we destroy them. We pick 'em out one by one and pitch 'em out of this world. This is God's purpose for us. The angel called us Heaven's Wrath."

"So we're like what, super-heroes?" Dean asks jokingly.

"Something like that." John says with a smile. "A family of super-heroes. We're gonna help save the world."

"But Dad, that's crazy." Sam says, his expression completely dumbfounded.

"I know it sounds that way, but it's God's honest truth son. I wouldn't lie to you." John replies.

"So how does this stuff work?" Dean asks, looking at John.

"We can see the demons while others can't. Plus the angel told me God would send us three weapons to destroy the demons with."

"What, like magical weapons?" Dean jokes.

"I imagine so."

Dean's face lights up with excitement while Sam just stares numbly at his father, his eyes glazing over in shock.

"When do we get them? The weapons?" Dean asks.

"I don't know, son. The angel just said soon. I don't know anymore than what I've just told you, except that we can't tell anyone about this. The angel was pretty clear on that. If we tell anone, we put them in danger. The angel said God was watching us. Isn't that neat?"

Dean nods enthusiastically while Sam just stares off in space; his father notices his expression. "I know it's hard to swallow, Sam. I wanted to wait to tell you once I had it all figured out myself, but the angel said I had to wake you up and tell you now." 

_I didn't know what to say or how to feel. It was too crazy and messed up to understand or even acknowledge. I didn't realize it at that moment, at least not consciously, but my happy and mostly secure world had just been flipped over and there were dark things under there. Very dark things. And my little boys' mind just couldn't take it._

The next morning, Sam's eyes snap open. He lifts up and looks around, registering where he is. Sunlight streams into the room and Dean is still asleep.

"Up and at 'em boys." John says and Sam pulls back the covers as John appears in the doorway, smiling at Sam. "Morning, kiddo."

He goes to Dean's bed and shakes his leg. "C'mon lazy bones!" Dean stirs and mumbles at John's voice. "C'mon, it's late. We overslept."

Sam just stares at his father.

"Snap to it boys and get dressed. The bus has come and gone and that means I'm taking you to school. So get a move on it." John says as he heads out the door. Sam stares after him, and then looks over at Dean as he lifts up. Dean yawns and they look at each other for a moment.

"What's wrong with you?" Dean asks, making Sam snap out of it.

"Nothing." Sam replies.

Later in the Impala, John is driving with Dean next to the window and Sam in the backseat and the boys eat toast as Dad drives. Guns N Roses' 'Sweet Child O' Mine' plays softly on the radio.

_None of us mentioned it. It was only a dream, a nightmare. Nothing that crazy could be real. Everything was okay, just like before._

The Impala pulls into the school parking lot, and John puts it in park and looks over at his sons. "Well, have a good day at school." 

Sam opens the door to get out and Dean pats his shoulder.

"And remember not to tell anyone what I told you last night." John says.

"We won't Dad. Bye!" Dean replies and walks off toward the school as their father drives away, leaving Sam standing in a daze.

_I refused to believe it. It was just a dream. That whole next week was just a dream too..._

It's the evening, and Dean is in the kitchen preparing dinner while Sam is sitting at the table and doing his homework. 

_Like when Dad started bringing home the magical weapons._

John comes in excited, holding a wooden handle gun and a flask in his hands, talking excitedly to Sam and Dean, gesturing with the gun.

_He was on his way to work... when God called to him._

John and Dean smile at one another and Dean reaches out and touches the colt in awe. John looks at the flask, "I still don't understand what this is for though."

Sam turns away and busies himself with his homework, but Dad notices him and looks concerned. 

_Just a long, long dream..._

Next night Sam and Dean sit on the couch, watching television together when their father comes in with a knife and gestures with it. "We got 'em all! Won't be long now. The angel came again last night and told me that God will send us a list of our first seven demons soon." John says excitedly.

Dean jumps up to look at the new weapon while Sam looks away and stares at the television set.

John continues, "Once we finish the first list another will come and another and another for the rest of our lives or until all the demons have been destroyed."

Sam just stares at the television without any expression.

_It wasn't real. It couldn't be. I just had to wait it out..._

Later that evening, Sam is washing dishes and John sits at the table smoking a cigarette. He watches Sam, but Sam ignores him.

"Come over here for a minute Sam."

"I'm washing dishes." Sam replies.

"They can wait. Come here. I want to talk to you."

Sam reluctantly stops and dries his hands on a towel. He goes to the table and sits down, staring down at his hands. John looks at him and takes a deep drag off of his cigarette.

"Sam, I know you've had some problems adjusting to everything that's happened this week, and I'm sorry son. I really am, but God has willed it, and we have to obey God." John says, his eyes locked on Sam.

"But maybe you just think He did or dreamed it. O-Or maybe you're... you're not right in the head Dad. Maybe you need help." 

John smiles, "It happened Sam. God sent an angel to me. And not just any angel. The archangel Michael himself. It's true. I'm not crazy. You'll see that soon. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I have the first list now."

He pulls it out of his shirt pocket, unfolds it, and places it in front of Sam. There are seven names on it. The first one is Meg Masters. Sam looks at it and then up at his father.

_The angel came to him while he was at work._

Sam just stares at Dad as though he's lost his mind, frightened. "B-But these are people's names." he says as he looks at Dad with horror.

"The angel said when I splash holy water on them, I'll reveal them for what they truly are. That's what the flask is for. I've got to get them and bring them back here and once they're here, I splash the water on them and reveal them. You'll see, then you'll believe." John says, smiling at Sam.

_The dream had finally ended. It was all real. My father was insane. He was going to murder someone. He had never been a violent man. I'd never seen him hit anyone, much less me or Dean. He didn't even own a gun. But I knew he was going to kill someone. And I had to stop him. The obvious answer was to tell someone what he was planning, but I couldn't do that. I loved him even if he'd gone crazy. I had to save him from himself. If he thought it was God that told him to this awful thing, then I had to prove to him that it wasn't God. That it had to be the Devil. So I studied the bible looking for something to fight him with._

The next night John is laying in his recliner, reading a book while Dean is sitting on the couch and watching television. Sam comes in, carrying a bible. John looks up at him as Sam opens the bible and reads.

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." He watches John while he reads, and his father just looks back at him for a moment.

"Proverbs?" John asks.

"Yep. Verse 14. Line 12." Sam replies and hands him the bible. John takes it, looks at it for a moment, and then hands it back to him.

"Read line 32." 

Sam takes it, finds the line and reads it aloud. "When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous have refuge."

Dean turns away from the television and listens to them curiously.

"You think this is wrong and you're trying to prove it." John says, pausing for a moment and sighs. "I respect that son, I do, but calamity has come. The end of the world is near and it is our job to bring the wicked down. God will take care of us because we are the righteous. Do you understand?"

Sam looks down disappointed, but doesn't say anything.

Next afternoon, John is sitting on the ground and pulling weeds out of the flower bed in front of the house. Sam walks up next to him and gets a drink of water from the hose. He wipes his mouth and looks over at John. 

"What about thou shalt not kill, Dad?" Sam asks.

John sighs and stops what he's doing. "This isn't killing. This is destroying demons. Now get out there and finish mowing that yard."

"But what about be careful battling monsters lest ye become one?"

John looks at Sam, impressed. "Shoot Sam, that's pretty good. I like that. I'm gonna keep that one in mind. Now out there and finish that lawn."

After the weekend, the boys are back in school and Sam studies the bible in the cafeteria and ignores Jess, too busy being buried nose deep in the book to notice she walks away to eat with the rest of the kids.

_There wasn't much in the old testament to use. Actually there was more in there to support Dad's case than mine. All kinds of gruesome stuff going back then in the name of God. The new testament, with the exception of Revelations of course, was where all the real ammo was. When I found Jesus back there I knew it was going to be all right. I finally had Dad beat._

Later that evening, Sam and John sit at the table and Sam looks up from the bible in front of him at John. They just stare at each other for a long moment.

"Sam. Everything you just said is absolutely right and true."

Sam smiles proudly and John smiles back at him. "But it only applies to humans son, not to demons."

Sam's smile falls away and John lights a cigarette. "I'm proud of you for all this bible reading though. You've got determination that's for sure. You get to Revelations yet?"

Sam doesn't reply.

_I tried to fight him with God, but God had forsaken me. The only thing left to do was tell. But that was easier said than done. I stood in front of the station for almost an hour the next day, wrestling with myself. Could I really send my Dad to prison or an insane asylum? What if the police didn't believe me? After all it was a pretty unbelievable situation. And if they didn't, what would Dad do to me when he found out?_

The next few days pass quietly. It's dark outside, Sam and Dean sit at kitchen table, finishing dinner. There's an empty plate at the table, and John is not home yet.

_That was the last day of school and Dad had promised to takr us to the movies that night, but he didn't come home from work._

Later that night, Dean lays in his bed and Sam turns off the light, getting into his bed. Dean lifts up and looks over at Sam.

"When's Dad coming home?" Dean asks.

"I don't know."

Dean lays back, "You think he's destroying a demon?"

"That's all make believe Dean."

"No it's not, it's.." 

"Listen to me. None of that demon junk is real. Dad just made it up."

Dean frowns, "No he didn't."

"Dean, have I ever lied to you?" 

Dean thinks about it for a moment and shakes his head.

"That's right. I haven't, but Dad has. You've got to trust me now Dean. I'm telling you the truth. Dad's sick. Demons do not exist. Those names on Dad's list are real people. Do you understand?"

"But why would he make it up?" Dean asks.

"I don't know, but I think we should leave."

"You mean run away?"

Sam nods. "Would you go with me?"

"I don't want to leave Dad. He needs us, Sammy."

"Neither do I, but we might have to."

"Why?"

Sam stares at the ceiling and sighs. "Dad's going to kill somebody."

An hour or so later Sam and Dean are both asleep. Headlights from the window wash the room with light for a moment and then disappear, waking Sam up. Outside an engine idles for a moment and then shuts off. The Impala's door open and then shuts, and Sam gets up and goes to the window. He sees John's silhouette, carrying something over his shoulder toward the house. As he gets close to the front door, Sam peeks around the corner of the hallway. The door opens and John walks inside, turning on the front hall light switch next to the door and notices Sam watching him.

"Hey there kiddo." John says and motions to him. "Come over here and help me."

John turns back to something on the porch and Sam walks toward him, looking past him to the porch. He sees a woman there, her mouth covered with duct tape, her eyes wide with fear and tears streaming down her face, her hands and feet are tied. Sam freezes, staring at the woman. He notices dried blood in her blonde hair and on her forehead. John bends down, picks her up, and carries her inside the house. Sam moves forward slowly, eyeing the woman in his father's arms, and shuts the door. John carries her into the living room and puts her down the couch. 

"Dad?" Dean calls out.

John and Sam turn and look at Dean who is standing in the hallway in his pajamas, rubbing his eyes.

Dean sees the woman. "Who's that?"

"That's a demon, son." John says, looking at her grimly.

_God came to him earlier that day at work and told him that the time had come. After work he drove down to Salvation, Iowa. He said he'd never been there before, but he had no problem finding it. God was leading him._

A few moments later John comes out of the backdoor carrying the woman over his shoulder, with Dean right behind him. Sam follows after them reluctantly. John leads them to the tool shed near the back fence.

John puts the woman down on the dirt floor of the shed, and Dean is looking at her curiously. Sam lingers in the doorway.

"Come in and shut the door." John says to Sam.

He does as he's told and John goes to his work bench where there is a little shelf that holds the colt, then turns to his sons. "Come here boys."

Dean goes to him, but Sam comes to him reluctantly. He puts one arm around Dean and one around Sam and turns them both toward the woman on the floor.

"That may look like a woman, but it's not. That is a demon." John says.

The woman looks up at them with tears in her eyes and tries to say something from behind the tape on her mouth. 

"They all look like humans, just like her. But inside they are murderous beasts, here to destroy the entire human race. And it is up to us, our family, to destroy them. It is God's will. When I splash the holy water on her, you will see the truth."

John takes the flask out of his pocket, and gets the gun from the shelf.

"Dad don't do this!" Sam yells.

"I love you with all my heart Sam. If I could spare you this I would. But this is God's will and we are His servants. Don't be afraid, son. You'll understand." 

He moves toward the terrified woman and bends down, extending his hand with the flask toward her. Sam watches him, paralyzed with terror.

***

Henriksen stares at Sam incredulously. "Where's your father now?" he asks.

"Dead." Sam replies.

Henriksen sits there, thinking about what he just heard then looks at Sam. "So he killed that woman? Right in front of you?"

Sam nods. "But not to his way of thinking. He hadn't killed a woman. He had destroyed a demon. You see, he believed that when he splashed the holy water on her."

***

John reaches out and pours the water on the woman - Meg Masters - and her eyes go wide.

_He revealed her sins, and the demon within her._

Dean gasps and recoils from her, and John moves away from Meg with disgust, raising the gun. Sam watches John in horror and screams as he pulls the trigger.

***

"Revealed her sins?" Henriksen asks.

"That's what he claimed."

The agent leans closer, shaking his head a little. "Believe me, I've heard all kinds of crazy stuff, but that's a first. What did you do?"

"What could I do?" Sam sighs, "I watched him kill her and then I watched him bury her."

***

Later, they are in the back of the cemetary and John is digging a hole near a lone rosebush while Dean sits on the ground, holding the flashlight for him. Sam sits next to Dean, crying, while John finishes the hole and picks up one end of the trash bag that has the body of Meg is inside of it and Dean gets up and and picks up the other end. They throw the bag inside of the hole.

John looks over at Sam and sees him crying. He goes to him and puts an arm around him. "Don't cry Sam. It's all right. She wasn't human. Did you see that?" he asks.

Sam shakes his head and tried to hold in his sobs, a few escaping him anyway.

"I saw it Dad." Dean says.

John smiles and nods at him, and Dean smiles back.

"You... You killed her..." Sam says, and cries harder.

"I didn't kill her son. She was a demon. I don't understand why you didn't see it. You know I wasn't so sure I could do it myself. I mean she looked like a woman to me too, but after I splashed the holy water on her, all I could see was the demon with its black eyes. And I just had to destroy it. That's what seeing it did to me. I'm sorry you didn't see it." John pauses and gets up. "But there's always next time."

"You're going to do it again?!" Sam asks, horrified. 

"This is our job now son. We're Heaven's wrath. You've got to accept that. We've started something we've got to finish. There's thousands-"

"You can't! I won't let you!" Sam yells.

"You can't stop it. We're doing God's wor-"

Sam cuts him off, his expression changing to angry rather than shocked. "I'll tell!"

John's face goes dark, and he grabs Sam by the arm. "If you do, someone will die. Maybe even you. The angel was clear on that. Do you understand?"

Sam cries and tries to pull away.

"Answer me! Do you understand?!" John asks again.

"Yes sir!" Sam cries out and John lets go of him, looking ashamed. 

"I'm sorry. I just... I love you. I don't want you to get hurt or get anyone else hurt. You'll understand soon. I promise. But until then you have to promise me you won't tell."

Sam doesn't reply.

"Sam." John says sternly.

"I... pr-pr-promise."

John reaches down and tousles his hair, though Sam jumps a little at his touch. John frowns at his reaction. "You'd better keep that promise. Remember, angels are watching you."


	2. Chapter 2

Henriksen stares at Sam. "So you didn't tell?"

"I should have." Sam shakes his head. "But I was afraid. I loved my father, but I was terrified of him. He was a murderer." He pauses for a moment, his eyes still fixed on the agent. "So now do you understand why I think my brother is the Heaven's Wrath killer?"

"I suppose. But then again what you've just described happened to you both. So it could be you just as much as him."

"But I didn't believe, Agent Henriksen. Dean did. That night I saw my father kill a woman with a gun, but Dean saw him destroy a demon. No matter what I tried to tell him, he still believed Dad. To him we were knights of God on a holy mission to abolish evil."

Henriksen thinks about it for a long moment. "Do you have any physical proof?"

"I read in the paper that only one of the victims had been found. Is that true?" Sam asks.

"The first victim was found mutilated with a note saying that Heaven's Wrath had taken him. With all the others, only notes were found. No bodies."

Sam sighs. "How do you know they're dead then?"

"We don't for sure. But the first note told us we wouldn't find any bodies from then on. It said he wanted to keep them." 

"I've got a pretty good idea where the bodies are." Sam replies.

"The Stull Cemetery?"

Sam nods. "There were other holes out where I buried Dean. Some of them looked freshly covered."

"Why didn't you tell me that to begin with?" Henriksen asks and jumps up.

"Would you have believed me?" Sam retorts, earning a look from the agent.

A few moments later Henriksen and Sam walk through the lobby and the operator glances up at them from her book, then continues reading. 

They walk quickly out to Henriksen's car. The agent reaches into his back, pulling out a set of handcuffs, and tosses them to Sam. 

"What's this?" Sam asks, surprised.

"There's something about you I don't trust. Everything you've told me so far is screwy. It may be the truth like you say, and if it is I'll apologize later, but for now you put 'em on or I'll put 'em on you."

Sam puts the cuffs on as Henriksen opens the backdoor of the car, and starts to get in. The agent reaches out to help him, but Sam recoils. "I've got it." Sam says, and Henriksen backs off, letting him get in and then shuts the door, getting into the drivers seat and starts driving. 

He looks at Sam in the rear-view mirror and then back at the road. "So tell me something. Why did you wait so long to come forth?"

"I didn't even know about the case until three days ago." Sam replies.

"That's impossible. It's been all over the news for the past few months."

"I don't watch the news or read newspapers."

"You just told me that you'd read an article on it in the paper." Henriksen says, looking surprised.

"I did. I happened to see the headline three days ago. Heaven's Wrath claims sixth victim. I bought the paper and called Dean, but he wasn't there. I left a message and he called me back that next night."

"You knew and you left him a message?"

"I didn't know for sure. I suspected." Sam says, looking out the window.

"No, you knew. Admit it. You knew and you didn't tell anyone."

"I'm telling you now."

Henriksen doesn't reply, and they drive in silence for a long moment.

"You have to admit it's all a pretty big coincidence. I mean, the day after you just happen to notice that there is a killer on the loose, who you know is your own brother, he kills himself." 

"I'm telling you the truth. He was the killer."

"I'm just saying it's a pretty hard tale to swallow."

"Yeah, and so was the one I told you when I first came into your office. But it was true, wasn't it."

Henriksen looks at him in the rear-view and then back at the road, shaking his head a little.

"I still can't understand how you could keep something like that in for so long."

"We all have secrets. Don't we, Agent Henriksen? Tell me, how did your wife die?"

Henriksen looks up sharply at him in the rear-view mirror. "What did you just say to me?"

"I noticed you don't wear a wedding ring, yet you keep a picture of your wife on your desk. Usually people don't do that if they're divorced."

"My wife is none of your damn-"

Henriksen catches himself, though he grips the wheel angrily. Sam doesn't say anything. The agent coldly watches the windshield wipers wiping away at the rain.

"My wife was... murdered. Senselessly butchered by some whacked out killer like your Dad."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry." 

"I don't like to talk about it, but it's not a secret." Henriksen replies.

"Did they ever catch her killer?"

"Nope."

"Is that why you took this job?"

Henriksen turns around to look at Sam for a moment. "Something like that. You know, you're pretty good at this. Ever think of becoming a cop?"

Sam smiles. "When I was a kid."

"You've got the instincts for it. But I've got them too and mine are telling me you're hiding something from me."

"What do you think I'm hiding?"

"I'm not so sure yet, but my instincts are hardly ever wrong. So why don't you finish your story and I'll see if I can figure it out."

***

Sam and Dean sit in the living room, watching television and Sam just sits staring at it, lost in thought.

_After that night, I guess you'd expect Dad to set out to teach us murder, but nothing happened. Dad didn't mention it anymore, and neither did Dean. After a couple of weeks I began to think it was over. I know it sounds silly and childish that I could actually think that after what I had seen, but I wanted it to be over. I wanted to go back to being a normal kid again. And I did. I buried the whole thing down deep, and pretended that it had never happened._

Sam tosses and turns in his sleep. There's not a single night he can sleep through peacefully, sometimes just staying up until the morning, watching Dean quietly and hoping, praying that his brother would see sense and run away with him. But this night, he goes to sleep.

_Of course, there were still the nightmares._

He raises up, sweating and crying.

Next afternoon, Sam and Dean sit on the bank, skipping rocks on the water. Sam lays back on the ground and looks up at the clouds.

_But they came less and less often after awhile. They always say children are resilient creatures and I was proof. Once a full month had gone by I had completely convinced myself that it was over and everything was going to be all right._

The sun is going down. Sam, Dean and Jessica walk away from the court to the sidewalk.

"You see Dukes of Hazard last night?" Jess asks, and the boys nod.

"You remember when Daisy bent over?" Dean jokes, poking Sam with his elbow and smirks, earning a little frown from Jess.

"I like Boss Hogg. He's funny." she says as Sam wraps an arm around her shoulder and smiles.

"Hey Sam, do you want to come over tonight and watch some movies?"

Sam smiles and nods. "I'll have to ask my dad though."

"My mom can call and ask if you want." Jess suggests.

"Okay, sounds good."

"See you in a little bit." Jess says, then runs off to one of the houses off of the sidewalk. Sam and Dean keep walking.

"You know what to do, right tiger?" 

"Shut up Dean." Sam mutters, blushing slightly.

They laugh as they run down the road by the Stull Cemetery. Dean turns into the drive of the cemetery, and Sam stops running and stays on the road. Dean notices, and motions to his brother. "Come on!"

Sam looks at the entrance to the cemetery wearily. "Nah, I'm going around on the road."

Dean shakes his head but walks back to Sam and goes with him.

When they get home, John sits at the kitchen table with a notepad and a few phone books in front of him, flipping through one of them. He looks up as Dean comes in, followed by Sam. 

Sam notices the phone books, and then the notepad with seven names written on it, one of them - Meg Masters - crossed out. He looks at John with absolute horror, but his father just looks up at him and smiles.

"Your little girlfriend's mom just called. I told her not tonight. We've got some work to do in the morning."

Sam doesn't sleep that night.

The next day, the Impala is parked on the street, John sitting behind the wheel, watching the entrance of a house down the street, while Sam sits in the back and Dean in the passenger seat.

_Dad told us that there were moments in everyone's life when they could just suddenly disappear without anyone knowing where they went or why._

A man in his forties - Azazel Jones - comes out of the house, and John tenses up. "There he is."

Azazel goes to his car in the driveway and gets in. John waits for a moment, then pulls the Impala out and follows after him. 

_He said those were the moments when Heaven's wrath could reach out and take you._

Later, Azazel's car pulls into the mall's parking lot and he gets out, soon John parks the Impala right next to the other car. The three of them watch Azazel disappear into the mall.

"What do we do now Dad?" Dean asks.

"We wait. We'll get him when he comes out. Just like I told you. Remember?"

Dean nods. Sam doesn't say anything.

"Sam?" 

"I can't do this Dad." Sam says, shaking his head.

"I can." Dean shrugs, and John smiles at him.

"You sure can tiger."

"But, what if someone sees us?" Sam asks.

"They won't."

"But it's daylight."

"I told you God will blind them for us. Remember?" John replies.

Sam nods, but still looks worried.

"This is the day God chose, son. It is His will. There's nothing to worry about. As long as we do His will, He'll protect us and help us."

"But what if he doesn't? What if-"

"You've got to have faith, Sam. You've got to just let go and trust Him or at least, trust me." john pauses for a moment and sighs. "I know you still don't understand it Sammy, but we've got to do this. It's our job. I know you're going to see the demon this time."

"But I don't want to Dad. I'm scared." Sam replies.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. God will protect you. You just have to accept Him. Come on, bow your head and we'll pray together."

They all bow their heads and close their eyes, except Sam who keeps his eyes open and looks nervously over at the mall entrance.

A few hours pass by, and John is reading a book while Dean is singing quietly along to the radio and Sam just stares into nothing. 

_I know Dad's abductions may seem really simple, but those were simpler times. Nowadays you'd have to concoct some elaborate scheme to abduct someone. People expect psychos around every corner now. But back then, they didn't expect it as much. Of course according to Dad nothing, not even a camera, could catch us anyway. We were invisible when we were Heaven's Wrath._

Azazel comes out of the entrance carrying a shopping bag, and Sam tenses up at the sight of him. He looks over at John, who is still reading his book, and then looks back at Azazel who is walking toward them in the distance, then into the parking lot. Sam tries to breathe easy, but John has looked up and is staring right at Azazel.

"Here he comes boys." John says, and Dean sits up and looks excitedly.

"Now remember what I told you."

John puts the flask of holy water in his pocket and reaches in between the seats and grabs the gun from the floorboard. Sam stares at John with horror. "I don't want to do this Dad."

John looks up at him and the disappointment is obvious. He glances back at Azazel who is getting closer by the second. "This isn't about what you want, son. You just do like I tolf you and everything will be fine. Now c'mon." he says sternly.

John opens his door, puts a leg out, but notices that Sam isn't moving. 

"Come on, Sam." 

He stares at John with tears in his eyes. "I can't."

"Yes you can. Now move. Do what I tell you."

Sam gets out of the car in tears, and soon sees Azazel walking right toward him. He gets down on his knees and looks under Azazel's car. The man walks up and sees Sam.

"C'mon.... Bones! Get out... from u-under there!" 

"What are you doing boy?" Azazel asks as he watches the sobbing boy curiously, and Sam looks up at him with tears streaming down his face.

"My... my dog's u-under there a-and he - he won't..."

Azazel bends down to him, revealing John behind him with the gun raised. Sam shuts his eyes tight as John brings the handle of the gun down on Azazel's head. The man crumples to the ground, falling on Sam. Dean gets out of the Impala and hoots in delight at what he sees.

"You got him! You got him!" he cheers.

John grabs hold of Azazel's legs and pulls his off of Sam. "Help me get him in the trunk."

Sam sits on the ground with his eyes still closed, shaking with sobs. John sighs and grabs Azazel by the waist and lifts him by himself.

Later when they get home, Azazel is tied to a chair with his mouth covered in duct tape and dried blood in his hair. He opens his eyes and sees Dad standing over him.

"Azazel Jones?" John asks.

The man shakes his head yes, his eyes wide with fear and confusion, and he moans something through the tape that none of them can make out. John looks at Sam who stands against the shed wall next to Dean.

"You think that's an innocent man there, don't you? Well, it's not." John says, eyes fixed on Sam.

John walks over to Azazel and splashes holy water on him, then jerks away as though he's being shocked, then steps back, seething with rage.

"Didn't think anyone knew about that, did you?!" he yells at the terrified man, then goes to the workbench and picks up the gun. "But God saw you."

He moves closer to Azazel, holding the colt with both hands.

"Dad don't! Don't" Sam begs as he moves forward.

"And you can't escape God's wrath!" John shouts as he shoots the man, two bullets going straight through Azazel's skull and blood splatters Sam's shirt.

An hour later in the cemetery, Sam and Dean dig a hole while John sits on the ground, smoking and watching his youngest. "I can't believe you **still** didn't see it."

Sam looks up hatefully at his father, but keeps digging.

"He was a murderer, Sam. He killed little babies!" John says, getting up from the ground and tosses his cigarette. "Babies."

He walks off toward the house in the distance. Sam stops digging and takes one of the black trash bags and dumps it in the hole. He stands over the hole, looking down at the bloody mess. "He's the murderer. We've got to get out of here Dean." 

Dean looks over at him as he digs. "What do you mean?"

"We've got to run away. Remember I told you we might have to." Sam says.

"I don't want to. I won't leave Dad all alone."

"We have to. Dad's crazy, Dean. He's a murderer."

"No he's not. He's a demon slayer."

"That's all lies Dean!" Sam yells.

"No it's not. I see it when he splashes the holy water on them."

Sam looks angrily at his brother. "No you don't! Dad's brainwashed you. It's all a big lie. He's a murderer and you help him!"

"No! We're serving God's will! I'm gonna tell Dad on you." Dean shouts back.

Sam charges at Dean who drops his empty bag and walks off toward the house. The wind catches the bag and blows it into a rose bush where it snags on the thorns. Sam falls to his knees as Dean walks off. Blood drops from the empty bag onto the rose.

When Sam comes into the house, exhausted, he enters the living room and finds John sitting in his recliner in the dark. They look at each other for a long moment, but neither says anything. Sam walks off down the hall.


End file.
